The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-17
AGH0Sl Al THE WASHING
MAKES AWAY WITH ALL SORTS
OF UNDRRCLOTHING
To the Utter Bewilderment OF a
Poor Colored wOmar, Who
VIII Suffer Great Less.

lOhSBOhO, hhob't hpih lV' L hS
Herald says that ghost sensation Of
a peculiar nature has been developed
in the house of colored family on
Harrison street near Cherry. The
eolored people in the vicinity and a
great many white ones are wild with
excitement, and the occupants of the
house favored by the presence. of the
spooks have suddenly become prom
inent people. and are enjoying the
situation as much rs their uncanny
guests will permit. The haunted
house is an old frame dwelling in the
rear of the Markham property on the
corner of Cherry and Harrison
streets. 1t is very commonplace
looking edifce and stands we'll back
in a rather large yard. The ten
ants are the families of a colored
eoachmau, Madison Pittman, and
his son-in- law. The women Of
the household are washerwomen
and have never exhibited spiritual
istic power or any taste for such
amusements. They are Elizabeth
Pittman and her married daughter,
Catherine Allen. About 6 o'clock
yesterday afternoon loud cries were
heard in the rear of the house, and a
gang of colored labOrers and loafers
who were passing the place ran back
to see what caused the trouble.
Elizabeth Pittman was found gazing
in terror stricken manner at small
wad of freshly ironed linen There
was nothing suspicious about the
article, and the rescuing party stood
aghast, unable to find any reason for
the woman's alarm and themselves
alarmed for the reason that they saw
nothing to brighten them. As soon
as the hauted washerwoman was
able to explain she whispered
GHOSTS, " and caused panic among
the men, though the sun was
still shining and as one of them after
ward said, the police were within
calling distance. All recovered after
few moments, and the crowd re-
turned to where the woman was still
finding new terrors in the shape of
feminine wearing apparel. She
huskily explained that malicious
and utterly unwarranted attack had
been made on her homo by spooks,
whose intent was to damage her, and
then went on to tell the story of her
woes.
Until late Thursday afternoon no
disturbance had ever ruffled the
quiet of her domicile. She washed
the clothing of few select custom
ers, and her daughter piled like
trade in the same house. The reve-
lation that beings from the internal
region were TO haunt the house was
made Thursday. She was quietly at
the wash tub when sundry garments,
in various stages of being done up"
we're suddenly whisked out of the
room and carried to small hole in
the side of the house. Through the
hole they disappeared, and when she
went outside to hunt for them she
found them badly mutilated on the
ground just below the hole. They
had been moved by some invisible
power, and she was SO frightened
that she GOULD not speak of it to her
relatives later in the day. Numer-
Gus other articles we're carried away
that night, and no one was seen to
touch them. Her fears were not
allayed, but she managed to get
through the night, and the next day,
as nothing unusual happened, she
braced up in the hope that the
ghosts had departed. She was
deceived, as yesterday afternoon
her corset, which had just been
taken off, suddenly disappeared and
a little later other articles began to
bob about in a most astonishing
manner, and then to straggle out of
the hole in the side of the house.
She stood it as long as she could and
then went to look for the missing
property. 1t was then that the wit
nesSes arrived. Elizabeth Pittman s
story is affirmed by other members
of the family and by her daughter,
against whom the manifestations are
supposed to be directed. This is the
conclusion deducted from the fact
that the only clothing taken from
the washtubs and ironing tables are
those OF Catherine Aliens custom
ers. Nearly all the wash of promi-
hent attorney, trusted to Catherine 8
care, has been carried away by the
spooks, and the attorneys family
will be short of linen next week,
as but few of the pieces have
been recovered, and these were
totally ruined by being cut and
torn. All the goods recovered have
been mutilated aud an inventory
made by the washerwoman shows a
bewildering number oil tattered chem
ises and shirts, lace shawl, several
pocket haudkerchiets and corset.
A tableoloth but slightly cut was
dragged from a pile of loose earth
and pair OF new shoes which were
missed were found to be slightly cut.
The shoes did not remain as evidence
long as they disappeared for good a
short time after they were replaced
in the house.
The colored people of the neigh
borhood kept the family busy until
late last night telling the wonderful
story, and the Pittmaus evidently en-
loved it, as every one asking for a
description of she nncanny affair re-
ceived one. They solemnly swear
that no mortal hand was in sight
when the evil deeds began, and
close search of the premises was
made but without finding ANYTHING
suspicious.